Tag



March 20, 1951 M. L. WALL 2,545,505

' TAG Filed April 25, 1946 Patented Mar. 20, 1951 k UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TAG Marvin L. Wall, Morristown, Tenn.

ApplicationrAprilZB, 1946;.SriatNo; 664,808

3;Claims.

1. This invention relatesto improvements in tags, particularly ofthe characterused as identification orshipping: tags, stockyards,.-bagmark fromthe-art-icle and thereby results in.

confusion and often claims for damages-against the 'custodianof the: property.

Various attempts have been made to over come theseobjections, but the *tags provided." in commercial use are-vmade generally with. an external reinforcing element at the hole of the tag; usually "by a" metal or paperwgrommetaround the hole=for reinforcingpurposes. Such awg'rommet; tends to prevent the -pu1lingou-t.ofthe-hole by the-attachingstring or wire; but it isobjecttionable for an additional-reason that it interferes with the printing in an automatic: press ata point on. the tag adjacent-the. hole.- Moreover, it leaves the tag free for'tearing and separation at a point adjacent the hole'outside-the' grommet which would then remove the identifying: numher, letters or mark 'from-the article.

The object of this invention'is-to improve the tag-construction to permit the, printing of-an identifyingnumber; letters or mark on" the tag at a point where itmay notbe-separated accidentally from thestock or. article on:which the-tag is applied by'the tearing away of: a portion of the tag onwhich the number; letters or mark isapplied; and without providing unsightly'projections on; the tag, such as.- would result from a' raised grommet around the hole as well as interfering. with the application of printing for identification orotherwise; in' -an automatic press atany point on theltag as; for-instance,- adjacent the hole. The area of: the tag formed according tothis invention.- is relativelysmooth: uniform and of improved" appearance; and the danger of tearing away the portion. of the :tag. on; which the identifying number, letters, ormark-is" printed is substantially eliminated.

Such tags are constructed ordinarily ofrelatively thin paper stock containing a plurality 'of layers adhesively secured together. I have provided. according to this invention, for the incorporation between the layers ofthe paperstcck of either a strip of thin sheet-metahplastic', fiber, fabric and/or of anyother suitablereinforcing material which overlaps--the-regionofthe hole in thetag around theregion in" which an identifyingnumber, letters-or mark is appliedto-the outer surface of the tag; so asto prevent the accidental separation f-romthe attaching means that passes through: the hole of-theportion-of the tag on which the number; letters-or markisapplied. This metal or othen suitable reinforcing material insert may: extend throughout only one end-- portion of-the tag'or throughout the area thereof, whichever may be desired; but in the event that itis applied only at 0118781111 portion the identifying number, letters or mark: should beprintedon said endportionwithin the. confines ofthe reinforcing strip adjacentrthe' hole. The incorporation ofthe metalstrip or strip of any other. type of reinforcing material between the plies ofthe paper stock. leaves thesurface'of thev tag. freeofraised portions around the hole which mightiinterfere with. the' printing of the identifying number thereon in an automatic printing press.

The invention is illustrated in the accompany ing drawings in which:

Fig. 1- is a-perspectiveviewshowing 'the process of forming the tag, according to thisfinvention;

Fig. 2 isa plan-view ofaseries oftags embodying this invention;

Fig. 3 is an edge viewof'a tag constructed according to Figs. 1 and 2.;

Fig. 4--is a plan: view of a tag in which the metal strip'and/or of any other type-of reinforcing materialextends throughout the area thereof; and

Fig. 5 is an edge view thereof.

Tags of the characterusedas shipping tags or As shown in Fig. 1,: this Before folding the stock, a metal strip or strip of any other type of reinforcing material S is inserted between the plies adjacent the fold line, as shown in Fig. 1. This strip is formed of very thin sheet metal or other suitable reinforcing material which, nevertheless, will have sufficient strength to reinforce the region of the tag around the hole to be formed therein and may extend throughout the area of the tag, if desired. The strip extends preferably throughout the width of the tag as will be evident where a long metal strip, or strip of plastic, fiber, fabric or other suitable reinforcing material, is used in this manner.

The paper stock is then folded over the metal strip, or strip of any other reinforcing material S, and adhesively secured thereto as well as between the respective plies of the paper stock, preferably by means of a waterproof adhesive to insure secure attachment of the plies together, as well as to the metal strip or strip of any other reinforcing material. The metal strip or strip of other reinforcing material is then cut into lengths corresponding with the width of the tag, separating the respective tags, or, where a wide paper strip is used, this may be slit at the same time to form the tag edges. The corners of the tag may be sheared during this severing opera tion, if desired, and the hole may be punched through the stock and metal strip or other reinforcing material simultaneously to complete the formation of the tag structure.

A complete tag is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, as comprising a strip of paper stock i, folded back upon itself enclosing, therebetween either a metal strip or strip of plastic, fiber, fabric, and/or any other type of suitable reinforcing material designated generally at 2, which extends throughout the width of the tag at the fold edge of the paper stock. Only a very thin sheet metal, plastic, fiber, fabric or other suitable reinforcing material would be required for this purpose and the thickness both of the metal or other reinforcing material strip 2 and of the paper stock I is considerably exaggerated in Fig. 3, because in actual practice, the surfaces of the tag are relatively smooth with the metal or other type of reinforcing material strip enclosed therein.

The hole in an end of each tag is designated generally at 3. The size and shape of the hole may be varied as desired, according to the use of the tag and the type of fastening device to be attached thereto. The notched or sheared corners are shown at 4, which may be provided, if desired, or they may be made round, oblong, etc, simultaneously with the operation of making the hole in the end of the tag.

In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the paper stock II is folded upon itself substantially as described above in connection with Fig. 1, but the metal or other reinforcing material l2 extends throughout the length of the tag as indicated in Fig. 5.

Tags of this character are provided ordinarily with identifying numbers, letters or marks thereon, frequently of relatively large numbers as indicated at 5 in Fig. 2. Where the tags are used for stockyard identification for cattle and other animals, the tags will be numbered consecutively, as indicated, with the numerals sufficiently large to be visible readily for a considerable distance for identification of the respective animals. This is true also of baggage checks and other parcel identifying tags. Where the metal strip or strip of any other type of reinforcing material 2 extends throughout an area located only at one end portion of the tag, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a smaller identifying number indicated at 6 may be applied to the region of the tag covered by the reinforcing strip, so that if the remainder of the tag should be separated from the attached portion, the identifying number would not be lost nor confusion result. The lack of a grommet or other raised portion around the hole makes possible the printing of this identifying number 6 adjacent thereto in an automatic printing press. In either event, the reinforcing strip 2 or l2 extends throughout the area of the tag on which an identifying number is applied, as well as around the hole area by means of which the tag is attached to stock or an article.

This construction provides substantially for the elimination of argument as to the identification of baggage, articles, or stock on which the tag is applied by insuring that the identifying number, letters or mark will always be attached to the article without danger of its accidental separation therefrom due to the tearing away of the tag from the attaching means. At the same time, it is practical for manufacture and use, as well as presenting an attractive appearance by the elimination of grommets and other unsightly projections around the hole which would interfere with the printing operation in an automatic press. Any desired form or size of hole may be used, according to the type of attaching means required, and since this does not require any special attachment in the hole, it may be formed in one simplified operation in a single machine whereby the entire tag may be formed automatically. Either or both sides of the tag may be used for printing any desired identification or indicia thereon, in addition to or instead of the numbers referred to above, according to the use to be made of the tag.

I claim:

1. A tag comprising a paper strip folded upon itself with the end edges thereof terminating substantially adjacent each other and forming superposed p ies adhesively secured together, and a strip of reinforcing material secured entirely between the plies and extending continuously from side-to-side' of the tag and from the folded edge thereof toward the opposite edge of the tag, said tag having indicia applied to at least one surface thereof and having a hole in one end thereof extending through the plies and out the area under the indicia to prevent separation of the indicia from the attaching means passing through the hole.

2. A tag comprising a paper strip folded upon itself with the end edges thereof terminating substantially adjacent each other, a flat reinforcing strip lying entirely within and between the folds of the paper, whereby either side of the tag presents a plain smooth surface adapted to receive indicia, one edge of said flat reinforcing strip lying adjacent the fold and extending from side to side of the strip, and means securing the folds of the paper strip together and confining the reinforcing strip therebetween.

3. A tag comprising a strip of non-metallic material folded upon itself with the end edges thereof terminating substantially adjacent each other, a fiat reinforcing strip lying entirely within and between the folds of the first-mentioned strip whereby either side of the tag presents 25 a substantially plain smooth surface adapted to receive indicia, one edge of said fiat reinforcing strip lying adjacent the fold and extending substantially from side to side of the first-mentioned strip, and means securing the folds of the first-mentioned strip together and confining the reinforcing strip therebetween, said tag hav- 5 ing an opening therethrough extending through the folds of the first-mentioned strip and through the reinforcing strip adapted to receive a fastener, the reinforcing strip aiding in preventing separation of the tag from the fastener.

MARVIN L. WALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Ralph Dec. 6, 1892 Bedsinger Apr. 20, 1920 Eastman Feb. 7, 1928 Tevander Nov. 13, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain July 11, 1877 

